October Meeting: Modeling Tools in Fire and Life Safety Engineering

When
October 09, 2025
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Location
Merrick HQ - 8051 E Maplewood Ave, Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Spaces left
60

Registration

Members Registration Rate – $25.00
This is the rate for SFPE-RMC "Full" and "Chapter" members to attend this meeting.
Members-prepaid (for RSVP count)
This registration type is for pre-paid "Chapter Friends" or "Chapter Members" who prepaid for all meetings with their membership payment for the year.
Non-Member Registration Rate – $30.00
This is the rate for attendees who are not members of SFPE-RMC. [Note that membership in the Chapter is only $25 for the year ($15 for SFPE Society members). If you plan to attend more than one Chapter meeting, Chapter Membership pays for itself quickly!]
Student
College-aged students who are currently enrolled in a Bachelors or Masters degree program, who are interested in the profession of Fire Protection Engineering.

Please request a registration code from admin@sfpe-rockymountain.org from your student.edu email address. Thanks!
Virtual Attendee Registration Rate – $10.00
Virtual Presenter

Presentation: Modeling Tools in Fire and Life Safety Engineering

Please note that our presenters are planning to join us virtually. We still encourage you to join us in-person to enjoy a catered lunch and networking!

Description: This presentation provides an overview of leading modeling software packages used in fire protection and life safety engineering, including Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), CONTAM/VENTUS, and Pathfinder. The presentation will briefly discuss the performance-based design structure of the code and common uses of these packages via a series of case studies, highlighting both successes and lessons learned. Finally, the session will provide a quick tour of the hardware stack needed for effective modeling, from desktops to high-performance computing environments.

Guest Co-Presenters: David Stacy and Pierce Lushinsky

David Stacy served as the Principal and Founder of Performance Based Fire Protection Engineering, PLLC (PBFPE), based in Raleigh, North Carolina, which was acquired by Summit Fire Consulting in 2025. His firm specializes in fire and egress modeling, performance-based designs, and building and fire code consulting, while also offering full-service support for all fire protection and life safety challenges. Actively involved in the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), David has presented at national conferences and holds engineering licensure in North Carolina and multiple other states. His career also includes extensive fire service experience, where he previously served as a Captain for the City of Durham, NC Fire Department.

Pierce Lushinsky joined Performance Based Fire Protection Engineering (PBFPE) in 2020 as a Fire Protection Engineer, and most recently served as Director of Engineering. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Fire Protection Engineering, with a minor in Terrorism Studies, from the University of Maryland at College Park. He specializes in performance-based design, smoke control modeling and commissioning, and computational egress analyses. As one of PBFPE’s experts in smoke control special inspections and commissioning, Pierce has led teams through the commissioning of complex systems to ensure correct operation and performance. He is a licensed Fire Protection Engineer, with a portfolio spanning code analyses, life safety compliance documentation, and hazardous materials classifications for diverse facilities including industrial, hospitality, healthcare, and aircraft hangars.